Hair treating implement

ABSTRACT

A hairdressing tool includes a slender hair holder having a hair inlet at one end thereof and made of a flexible material, a hair inserter for inserting hair in or through the hair holder, and a curler for rolling, curving or bending the hair held by the hair holder into a prescribed shape. A hairdressing method includes holding a prescribed amount of hair in or through a slender hair holder of a hairdressing tool, the hair holder including a flexible material and being capable of holding hair, and rolling, curving or bending the hair held by the hair holder by a prescribed curler possessed by the hair holder.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a hairdressing tool with which aprescribed amount of hair can easily be treated. The present inventionalso relates to a hairdressing tool for styling one's hair as desired.The present invention also relates to a hairdressing tool used to rollhair into a prescribed shape in curling hair, for example, in permanentwaving. The present invention also relates to various hairdressingmethods including permanent waving and coloring.

BACKGROUND ART

It has long been known to use a sheet material to curl hair asdisclosed, e.g., in JP-U-11-14546, but it is difficult to handle hairwith such a sheet material.

In order to facilitate handling and curling hair, JP-A-10-192036proposes a tubular hair rolling tool and a method of hair rolling. Thistubular hair rolling tool has a great merit in that a strand of hair canbe handled much more easily.

The hair rolling tool of JP-A-10-192036 has a plastically deformablemember attached along the longitudinal direction of the tube. Theplastically deformable member is freely bendable and can be retained ina bent shape. With a strand of hair put in the tube, the plasticallydeformable member is deformed to keep the hair in the deformed state.The hair rolling tool is used in combination with a hair drawing tool.The hair drawing tool is a stick having integrally formed at the endthereof a loop through which a strand of hair is slipped.

Because the hair rolling tool is made of a low stiff material such asJapanese paper or nonwoven fabric, the opening of the hair rolling toolis deformed easily when a parted strand of hair is passed through theloop of the hair drawing tool. As a result, the hair and the loop of thehair drawing tool are apt to be caught on the opening edge, making itdifficult to smoothly inserting the hair inside the hair rolling tool.Besides, the loop of the hair drawing tool is made of a plasticmaterial, which makes the hair and the loop more apt to be caught on theopening edge of the hair rolling tool. The larger the loop of the hairdrawing tool, the more easily is hair slid therethrough. However, theloop of the hair drawing tool cannot be made larger than the opening ofthe hair rolling tool because of its material rigidity.

The publication says that, in doing a perm using the hair rolling tool,a permanent wave solution is applied before rolling up hair, and theflat tube is then rolled by hand. Since the hair should be rolled byhand as has been conventionally done, the permanent waving still takes alot of trouble. The tools are not easily manageable for users to roll uptheir hair by themselves so that rolling takes them a lot of time andtrouble.

Moreover, where the hair rolling tool has a tubular form, the inner andthe outer sheets necessarily generate strain on being deformed. Thestrain becomes greater as the amount of hair held in the tubular hairrolling tool increases or as the curvature of curls becomes larger. Ifhair is curled without eliminating the strain, it will not be curledinto a neat ring but an odd polygonal shape.

JP-U-6-37762 discloses a hair curler composed of two flexible sheetssuperposed on each other and joined along both sides. One of theflexible sheets composing the hair curler is made of a shape-memorymaterial which can return to its original rolled shape, and the other isa mesh sheet or a nonwoven fabric sheet. The two sheets are detachablyjoined along one of the sides. It is easy with this hair curler to rollup hair. However, it is difficult to put a strand of hair in the haircurler before rolling.

WO 00/57744 discloses a tubular hairdressing tool as an auxiliary inwaving hair by a perm, etc., which is formed of a mesh sheet and hasextensibility in both longitudinal and transverse directions. A strandof hair is inserted through the tubular hairdressing tool being extendedin the transverse direction and contracted in the longitudinaldirection. The tube is extended, then deformed by, for example, twistingat two or more positions together with the hair, and maintained in thatstate for a prescribed period of time to curl the hair. However, whileor after a strand of hair is inserted through the tube, the tip of thehair tends to be bent backward or irregularly waved with the tubecontracting, resulting in a failure to curl the hair beautifully.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide ahairdressing tool having a tube in which a strand of hair can beinserted easily and rapidly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressingtool, with which a strand of hair can be rolled up easily and rapidly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide ahairdressing tool, with which hair can be waved easily.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hairdressingtool, with which hair can be curled easily, securely, and neatly.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide ahairdressing method which makes it easy to do a hairdressing treatmentsuch as permanent waving or coloring.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention accomplishes the above objects by providing ahairdressing tool comprising a slender hair holder having a hair inletat one end thereof and comprising a flexible material, a hair inserterfor inserting hair in or through the hair holder, and a curling memberfor rolling, curving or bending the hair held by the hair holder into aprescribed shape.

The present invention also accomplishes the above objects by providing ahairdressing method comprising holding a prescribed amount of hair in orthrough a slender hair holder of a hairdressing tool, the hair holdercomprising a flexible material and being capable of holding hair, androlling, curving or bending the hair held in the hair holder by means ofa prescribed curling member attached to the hair holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a hairdressingtool of the present invention.

FIG. 2( a), FIG. 2( b), FIG. 2( c), and FIG. 2( d) show steps ofhairdressing using the hairdressing tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 4 illustrates another step of hairdressing.

FIG. 5( a) and FIG. 5( b) show other embodiments of a hair inserter.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a hairdressing tool.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of an auxiliary inserting member.

FIG. 8( a), FIG. 8( b), and FIG. 8( c) show another embodiment of a hairholder.

FIG. 9( a), FIG. 9( b), and FIG. 9( c) show other embodiments of a hairholder.

FIG. 10( a) and FIG. 10( b) show another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 11( a) and FIG. 11( b) show another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 12( a) and FIG. 12( b) show another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 13( a), FIG. 13( b), and FIG. 13( c) show another embodiment of ahair holder.

FIG. 14 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 16 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 17 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 18 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 19 is a graph showing the results of evaluation on tubes formed ofvarious flexible materials.

FIG. 20 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 21 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 22 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 23 shows another embodiment of a hair holder.

FIG. 24( a), FIG. 24( b), FIG. 24( c), and FIG. 24( d) presentperspectives illustrating the procedure of rolling a strand of hair witha hair holder having no curling member.

FIG. 25( a) is a plan showing another embodiment of a hairdressing tool,and FIG. 25( b) and FIG. 25( c) are cross-sections taken along line b-band line c-c in FIG. 25( a), respectively.

FIG. 26( a) and FIG. 26( b) illustrate how to use the hairdressing tool.

FIG. 27( a) is a plan showing another embodiment of a hairdressing tool,and FIG. 27( b) is a cross-section taken along line b-b in FIG. 27( a).

FIG. 28( a) is a plan showing another embodiment of a hairdressing tool,and FIG. 28( b) is a cross-section taken along line b-b in FIG. 28( a).

FIG. 29( a) is a plan showing another embodiment of a hairdressing tool,and FIG. 29( b) is a cross-section taken along line b-b in FIG. 29( a).

FIG. 30 is a plan showing another embodiment of a hairdressing tool.

FIG. 31 is a cross-section showing another embodiment of a hairdressingtool.

FIG. 32 is a perspective showing another embodiment of a hairdressingtool.

FIG. 33 is a perspective showing another embodiment of a hairdressingtool.

FIG. 34( a) schematically illustrates the hair holder of the embodimentshown in FIG. 25( a) to which a curling member has been attached, andFIG. 34( b) shows the hair holder shown in FIG. 34( a) in a foldedstate.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention will be described based on its preferredembodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is aperspective view showing an embodiment of the hairdressing tool of thepresent invention. The hairdressing tool 1 comprises a slender hairholder 2 which is adapted to hold a strand of hair and a hair inserter3.

The hair holder 2 is a slender tube made of a flexible material, inwhich hair is inserted and held. The hair holder 2 has one end and theother end which are open. The upper end provides a hair inlet 4. Theother end, i.e., the lower end has a zipper 5 as a fastening for thelower end, so that the lower end may be opened and closed. The fastenerincludes a surface fastener (hook and loop fastener), an adhesive tape,and a self-adhesive tape (e.g., Fushigi Tape (trade name) of NireiIndustry Co., Ltd.) as well as a zipper. The length of the hair holder 2is decided according to the length of hair to be treated, desirablylarger than the length of hair to be treated. The length of the hairholder 2 usually ranges about 50 to 600 mm.

The hair inlet 4 has the shape of a funnel with its diameter increasingtoward the opening. By this design, when a strand of hair is put intothe hair holder 2 with the hair inserter 3, the hair and the inserter 3are hardly caught on the hair inlet 4, and the hair can easily beinserted. The hair inlet 4 and its vicinity are made more rigid than theother par of the hair holder 2. By this design, the hair inlet 4 ishardly deformed even if it catches the hair or the hair inserter 3 whenthe hair is pulled in. As a result, hair can easily be inserted. Wherethe hair holder 2 is produced by resin molding, the hair inlet 4 and itsvicinity can be made more rigid than the other part by making themthicker-walled than the other part. Where the hair holder 2 is made ofnonwoven fabric or mesh, the hair inlet 4 and its vicinity can be mademore rigid by sticking thereto a stiff material such as a plastic sheetor paperboard.

The hair inlet 4 is preferably shaped for easy passage of a strand ofhead. For example, the shape of the opening of the hair inlet 4 ispreferably a circle or an ellipse having a major axis to minor axisratio close to 1 for securing easy passage. Additionally it is preferredthat the hair inlet 4 have a largest width W (see FIG. 1) of 5 to 200mm, particularly 10 to 90 mm, at the opening edge for securing ease ofhair insertion, ease of handling, and manageability in good balance.

Various flexible materials are used to make the hair holder 2. Examplesinclude nonwoven fabric, porous or nonporous resin films, paper, resinmeshes, and composites thereof, from which an appropriate one isselected according to the particular use of the hairdressing tool 1.When, for instance, the hair inserted in the hair holder 2 is to betreated with a hair treating agent, a material impermeable to the hairtreating agent is chosen where the hair treating agent must be appliedonly to the inserted hair, or a material permeable to the hair treatingagent is selected where the hair treating agent is to be applied to theinserted hair through the wall of the hair holder 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the hair holder 2 has, as a curling member, acurling thread 6 helically wound around the outer side thereof. Thecurling thread 6 is used as means for curling the strand of hairinserted in the hair holder 2 together with the hair holder 2. The term“curling” is used herein as a generic term meaning giving a prescribedset to hair, including rolling up, curving and bending hair. The curlingthread 6 is threaded through a plurality of through-holes 7 that areprovided on the hair holder 2 at intervals along a helix. When the hairholder 2 is seen from the front, the through-holes 7 are provided onboth longitudinal sides of the hair holder 2 and arranged on each sideat a given interval to make respective lines of through-holes,designated lines 8A and 8B. The arrangement of the through-holes 7 issuch that a line connecting all the through-holes 7 in a verticalsequence along the surface of the hair holder 2 depicts a helix.

Each through-hole 7 has a pair of small openings 7 a and 7B. The size ofthe openings 7A and 7B is such as to allow the curling thread 6 to passthrough. Such through-holes with small openings can be formed by makingsmall cuts in the hair holder 2. The curling thread 6, which is woundaround the outer surface of the hair holder 2, runs on the inner side ofthe hair holder 2 only in between the pair of openings 7A and 7B. Thus,the curling thread 6 is duly held onto the outer side of the hair holder2.

The tailing end of the curling thread 6 is prevented from beingunthreaded through the lowest through-hole 7 of the hair holder 2 (thelowest one of the line 8A in FIG. 1). Specifically, the end of thecurling thread 6 is fixed to the hair holder 2 so as not to be pulledout. The curling thread 6 can be fixed by adhesion with an adhesive orby thermal fusion. The curling thread 6 may also be prevented from beingpulled out by tying the tailing end of the thread 6 into a knot biggerthan the small opening, whereby the knot is caught on the opening. Onthe other hand, the other end of the curling thread 6 remains free afterbeing threaded through the highest through-hole 7 of the hair holder 2(the highest one in the line 8B in FIG. 1). In this way, the hair holder2 is designed to be deformed into a helix by pulling the free end of thecurling thread 6 (described later).

It is preferred for the curling thread 6 to have sufficient strength notto be cut when pulled to curl the hair and softness enough to smoothenthe pulling operation. From this viewpoint, the curling thread 6 ispreferably made of synthetic materials such as various resins, naturallyoccurring materials such as cotton or hemp, semi-synthetic materialssuch as rayon, various metals, or composites thereof. The curling thread6 is not limited to a thread and may be a narrow strip.

The hair inserter 3 is then described by referring to FIG. 1. The hairinserter 3 has a long pulling member 9 and a hair catching member 10provided at a tip of the pulling member 9. The hair catching member 10is deformable and is used to catch a strand of hair to be inserted intothe hair holder 2. According to the present embodiment, the hairinserter 3 is formed of a single wire. In detail, the wire forms a tinyloop 11 at one end, through which the other end is passed to make alarge loop, i.e., the hair catching member 10. A stopper 12 of a sizethat is not allowed to pass through the tiny loop 11 is provided at apredetermined position of the large loop. The hair inserter 3 is used asfollowed. The hair catching member 10 is enlarged up to a size enough tocatch up a strand of hair, and a strand of hair is passed through thehair catching member 10. The pulling member 9 is drawn to narrow thehair catching member 10 to the size regulated by the stopper 12. Thewire forming the hair inserter 3 can be of the materials recited aboveas for the curling thread 6. From the standpoint of manageability, easeof handling, and anticorrosion against hair treating agents, a metalwire coated with a synthetic resin is particularly preferred.

The hair inserter 3 works in the state inserted in the hair holder 2. Indetail, as shown in FIG. 1, it is used as inserted in the hair holder 2with its hair catching member 10 facing the hair inlet 4. The hairinserter 3 may have previously been inserted in the hair holder 2 tomake up a hairdressing tool 1 before use. Otherwise, the hair inserter 3may be inserted in the hair holder 2 each time the hairdressing tool 1is used. It would be better, nevertheless, that the hair inserter 3 isattached to the hair holder 2 in the best condition available on theproduction line, thereby excluding a possible failure of attachment by auser each time of use. Because the hair inserter 3 is not required tohave strength for attachment, a simply fabricated inexpensive material,such as a thread or a film, can serve as a hair inserter 3. Therefore,the hair inserter 3 can be produced with high productivity at low cost.On use of the hairdressing tool 1, the hair catching member 10 of thehair inserter 3 is made to stick out of the hair inlet 4 of the hairholder 2. A desired amount of hair is caught in-the hair catching member10, and the pulling member 9 of the hair inserter 3 that sticks out ofthe other end of the hair holder 2 is pulled out. In this way the haircaught on the hair catching member 10 is inserted together with the haircatching member 10 through the hair holder 2. After the hair catchingmember 10 enters the hair holder 2, it releases the hair at a certainposition in the hair holder 2, and the hair is thus inserted into thehair holder 2 smoothly. The hair catching member 10 is then pulledoutside from the lower end of the hair holder 2. As is obvious from theforegoing explanation, the total length of the hair inserter 3 is largerthan that of the hair holder 2.

Since the hair catching member 10 of the hair inserter 3 is deformable,even if the hair catching member 10 having caught a strand of hair comesinto contact with the hair inlet 4 when entering the hair holder 2, itis capable of changing it shape in conformity with the size of the hairinlet 4 and therefore leading the hair into the hair holder 2 smoothly.According to the present embodiment, in particular, since the hair inlet4 and its vicinity are rigid, deformation of the hair catching member 10on contact with the hair inlet 4 is accelerated, which further improvesthe smoothness of hair insertion.

The circumference of the hair catching member 10 of the hair inserter 3is larger than that of the hair inlet 4 of the hair holder 2. The largerthe circumstance of the hair catching member 10, the more easily thehair passes through the catching member 10. If the hair catching member10 is not deformable, the possible largest circumference of the haircatching member 10 would be limited by the circumference of the hairinlet 4. Being deformable, the hair catching member 10 of the presentembodiment is allowed to have a larger circumference than that of thehair inlet 4. As a result, it is easy to catch hair through the haircatching member 10. In the present embodiment, the circumference of thehair catching member 10 means the minimum circumference of the loop asregulated with the stopper 12. Taking ease of catching hair andmanageability and handling properties of the hair inserter 3 intoconsideration, the hair catching member's circumference is preferablylarger than, and not more than 10 times as large as, the circumferenceof the hair inlet 4, still preferably larger than, and not more than 5times as large as, the circumference of the hair inlet 4. From the sameviewpoint, the absolute circumference of the hair catching member 10 ispreferably 40 to 500 mm, particularly 80 to 200 mm.

From the same viewpoint as described above, the hair catching member 10of the hair inserter 3 is designed to have a maximum width T (seeFIG. 1) larger than the maximum width W of the hair inlet 4 of the hairholder 2. The maximum width T of the hair catching member 10 means thegreatest width reachable by the hair catching member 10 in any deformedstate. In this embodiment, the maximum width T of the hair catchingmember 10 is the value measured when narrowing of the loop (haircatching member 10) is stopped by the stopper 12. From the standpoint ofease of catching hair and manageability and handling properties of thehair inserter 3, the maximum width T of the hair catching member ispreferably larger than, and not more than 10 times as large as,particularly larger than, and not more than 5 times as large as, themaximum width W of the hair inlet 4. From the same standpoint, theabsolute maximum width T of the hair catching member 10 is preferably 20to 250 mm, particularly 40 to 100 mm.

While not shown in the Figure, it is preferred for the hair catchingmember 10 to have comb teeth. The hair catching member 10 with combteeth exerts a combing effect while leading the hair through the hairholder 2, so that the hair is uniformly distributed in the hair holder 2to make a hair treatment (hereinafter described) uniform. From thisviewpoint, the teeth are preferably directed inwardly, i.e., toward thecenter of the loop of the hair catching member 10.

A hairdressing method using the hairdressing tool according to thepresent embodiment will be described by way of FIGS. 2( a) through 2(d)with particular reference to permanent waving. First of all, ahairdressing tool 1 is prepared, which comprises a hair holder 2 and ahair inserter 3 inserted in the hair holder 2 with a hair catchingmember 10 of the hair inserter 3 sticking out of a hair inlet 4 of thehair holder 2 as shown in FIGS. 2( a). From the lower end of the hairholder 2, the tail of a pulling member 9 of the hair inserter 3 sticksout. In the present embodiment, the hair holder 2 is made of a materialpermeable to a permanent waving preparation, such as nonwoven fabric ora resin-made mesh. In this state, a desired amount of hair is parted andslipped through the hair catching member 10 of the hair inserter 3. Asillustrated, it is desirable that the hair catching member 10 bepositioned near the root of the strand of hair to insert hair surely.

As shown in FIG. 2( b), the hair holder 2 is lightly pressed with a hand(not shown) at a position near the hair inlet 4, and the tail (notshown) of the pulling member 9 of the hair inserter 3, which sticks outof the lower end of the hair holder 2, is held in another hand (notshown) and pulled to get the hair inserter 3 out of the hair holder 2.By so doing, the hair looped through the hair catching member 10 issuccessfully inserted and held in the hair holder 2. The hair holder 2being longer than the length of hair to be held, the strand of hair isheld in the hair holder 2 over the whole length thereof.

After the hair is inserted in the hair holder 2, the hair holder 2 islightly pressed at the vicinity of the hair inlet 4 with one hand (notshown), and the free end of the curling thread 6 is pulled as shown inFIG. 2( c). Whereupon, the hair is helically rolled up and gathered intotiny knots together with the hair holder 2 as shown in FIG. 2( d). Inorder to retain this state, the root of the curling thread 6 emergingthe hair holder 2 is fixed with a clip 12 as fixing means. The means forfixing the curling thread 6 includes not only the clip 12 but (1) amethod in which a cut is made in the edge of the hair inlet 4, in whichthe curling thread 6 is caught, (2) a method in which the curling thread6 is backward threaded through the nearest hole of the hair holder 2through which the curling thread 6 has just been threaded (see FIG. 15explained later), (3) a method in which a member having an increasedfrictional force against the curling thread 6 is provided, (4) a methodin which a knot is made in the curling thread 6, and (5) a method inwhich the curling thread 6 is designed to be allowed to move only onedirection (e.g., a ratchet mechanism). Of the fixing means described,the methods (2) to (5), which make use of a frictional force for fixingthe above-mentioned state, are preferably adopted.

The above-described series of operations are conducted on all the hairto be permanent waved. After that, a first permanent wave solution(reducing agent) is supplied to the hair holder 2. Since the hair holder2 is made of a material permeable to permanent waving preparations asstated previously, the permanent wave solution is applied to the hairthrough the hair holder 2. After an elapse of a given time, a secondpermanent wave solution (oxidizing agent) is then supplied to the hairholder 2, and the hair is again left to stand for a given time. As aresult, the hair is permanent waved to the rolled shape. Thereafter theclip 12 is removed to undo the hair, the hair holder 2 is removed, andthe hair is rinsed, shampooed, and blown into style.

Alternatively, the permanent wave treatment can be performed as shown inFIG. 3, in which the first permanent wave solution P has previously beenapplied to the inner side of the hair holder 2. According to thisprocess the step of supplying the first permanent wave solution from theoutside of the hair holder 2 after rolling up hair can be omitted.

Still alternatively, the step of rolling hair is not conducted after thehair is inserted into the hair holder 2. In this case, the process iscalled permanent straightening. To ensure hair straightness, the hairholder is preferably made of a material that is flexible and yetrelatively rigid.

According to the above-described permanent waving process, hair can berolled up extremely easily and rapidly. After the permanent wavetreatment, the step of undoing hair is carried out more easily andrapidly than in the case of using perm rods.

Hair coloring is then described as another embodiment of thehairdressing method. The coloring will be described only with respect todifferences from the permanent wave treatment so that the description ofthe permanent wave treatment applies appropriately to those particularsthat are not described here. The same hairdressing tool as used in thepermanent wave treatment can be used in coloring, except that the hairholder 2 used in this particularly embodiment is made of a materialimpermeable to hair dyes, such as a synthetic resin film.

Insertion of a strand of hair into the hair holder 2 is carried out inthe same manner as in the permanent wave treatment (FIGS. 2( a) and2(b)). After the insertion, the zipper 5 at the lower end of the hairholder 2 is closed. A hair dye is fed into the hair holder 2 through thehair inlet 4 as shown in FIG. 4 and distributed throughout the strand.As stated, since the hair holder is made of a material impermeable tohair dyes, and the lower end of the hair holder 2 is closed, the dyenever leaks out of the hair holder 2. The hair other than the strand ofhair inserted in the hair holder is thus prevented from being colored.Accordingly, this hairdressing method is especially effective in partialor spot hair coloring. In addition because the hair dye is maintainedwithin the hair holder in a relatively air tight condition, the dye isprevented from losing its volatile component and thereby effectivelyachieves hair coloring.

After the hair is inserted in the hair holder 2, the hair is rolledupward as shown in FIG. 2( c). It may be a part of or the whole lengthof the strand of hair that is inserted in the hair holder 2 and rolledup. The root of the curling thread 6 coming out of the hair holder 2 isfixed with a clip 12. The strand of hair is rolled up into tiny knots inorder to, for one thing, retain the strand in a desired shape and, foranother, facilitate the operation of inserting another strand of hairnear that strand into another hair holder 2.

The above-described series of operations are repeated as desired. Afteran elapse of a given time, the clip 12 is removed from the curlingthread 6 to undo the hair, and the hair released from the holder 2 isrinsed, shampooed, and blown into style.

Alternatively, hair coloring can be performed by a process in which thehair dye has previously been applied to the inner side of the hairholder 2 (see FIG. 3). According to this process the step of supplyingthe hair dye from the hair inlet 4 after insertion of hair can beomitted.

Hairdressing methods further include a still another embodiment in whichhair is treated with hairdressing cosmetics such as a hair stylingpreparation as a hair treating agent. In this embodiment, a hairdressingcosmetic is applied to wet or dry hair, and the hair is inserted in thehair holder and rolled up in the same manner as described above. Thehair is maintained in this rolled state for, e.g., about one hour wheredry hair is treated or, e.g., overnight where wet hair is treated,thereby to set the hair in a desired style.

Hairdressing methods furthermore include a yet another embodiment inwhich a rolled strand of hair is heated to get set. In detail, wet ordry hair is helically rolled up together with the hair holder 2 intotiny knots according to the procedures shown in FIGS. 2( a) through2(d). In this state, the hair is heated with a heater, such as a hairdrier to set the hair. Alternatively, wet hair is helically rolledtogether with the hair holder 2 into tiny knots according to theprocedures shown in FIGS. 2( a) through 2(d). In this state, the hair isallowed to dry spontaneously to get set. When this hairdressingtreatment is conducted after shampooing and before going to bed, thehair will have been set in a desired style by the next morning.

In addition to the above-described embodiments, the present inventionprovides the following embodiments. While the hair holder 2 according tothe foregoing embodiments have two lines of through-holes, 8A and 8B,through which to hold the curling thread 6 on the outer side thereof, ahair holder having only one line of through-holes will do.

The hair inserter 3 with a loop as a hair catching member as used in theabove-described embodiments can be replaced with a hair inserter 3 witha hook 10 shown in FIG. 5( a) or 5(b). In order to insert hair surely,it is preferred for the hook 10 to be made of metal or plastic and benon-deformable.

The hairdressing tool 1 composed of two members, the hair holder 2 andthe hair inserter 3, as used in the above-described embodiments can bereplaced with a hairdressing tool 1 composed of three members, i.e., ahair holder 2, a hair inserter 3, and an auxiliary inserting member 21as shown in FIG. 6. The auxiliary inserting member 21 has an invertedcone shape and is made of a rigid material. To improve smoothness ofhair insertion, it is particularly preferred that the auxiliaryinserting member 21 be made of a material more rigid than the materialof the hair holder 2. The auxiliary inserting member 21 has an inlet22A, an outlet 22B, and a passageway 22C connecting the inlet 22A andthe outlet 22B in the longitudinal direction thereof. The diameter ofthe passageway 22C decreases continuously from the inlet 22A to theoutlet 22B. The diameter of the inlet 22A is smaller than that of thenarrowest part of the hair holder 2. The pulling member 9 of the hairinserter 3 passes through the passageway 22C from the inlet 22A to theoutlet 22B and then enters the hair holder 2 through the hair inlet 4.The hairdressing tool 1 according to this embodiment is advantageous inthat hair can be inserted smoothly even when the hair inlet 4 of thehair holder 2 has low rigidity. Additionally, the auxiliary insertingmember 21 expands the tube of the hair holder 2 which is liable tobecome flat when hair is inserted into the hair holder with the hairinserter 3, thereby improving the ease of hair insertion. The shape ofthe auxiliary inserting member 21 includes not only the inverted conebut various inverted pyramidal shapes.

In a modification of the hairdressing tool 1 according to the embodimentshown in FIG. 6, the auxiliary inserting member 21 may have a largerdiameter at the inlet 22A than the hair inlet 4 of the hair holder 2.According to this modified embodiment, the auxiliary inserting member 21is restrained by the hair inlet 4 from entering the hair holder 2 andstopped at the hair inlet 4 when hair is pulled into the hair holder 2by the hair inserter 3. In this case, too, the auxiliary insertingmember 21 brings about improved smoothness of hair insertion.

In another modification of the hairdressing tool 1 according to theembodiment of FIG. 6, an auxiliary inserting member 23 shown in FIG. 7(a) can be used. The auxiliary inserting member 23 shown in FIG. 7( a) ismade of plastic and has a slender and flattened shape with an opening atboth ends. The auxiliary inserting member 23 has an ellipticcross-section and is composed of a tubular part 23A with an opening atboth ends and a tapered part 23B which is connected to the lower openingof the tubular part 23A and narrows toward the tip. The tip of thetapered part 23B, i.e., the lower end of the auxiliary inserting member21 is open. The length, cross-sectional contour, and cross-sectionalarea of the tubular part 23A are designed so that the hair holder 2 maybe immovably fitted over the auxiliary inserting member 23 by thefrictional force of the outer surface of the tubular part 23A when theauxiliary inserting member 23 is inserted into the hair holder 2 asillustrated in FIG. 7( b). Fixed by the auxiliary inserting member 23owing to this design, the hair holder 2, even if not held by hand, doesnot fall off only if a user holds the auxiliary inserting member 23 inthe hand. As a result, the step of inserting hair can be carried outmore easily. The presence of the tubular part 23A further improvessmoothness of hair insertion.

Hair holders 2 shown in FIGS. 8 through 17 are also useful. In FIGS. 8to 17 the hair inserter is not illustrated for the sake of simplicity.The description with respect to the foregoing embodiments appropriatelyapplies to the particulars of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 to 17that are not explained here. When seen from the front, the hair holder 2shown in FIGS. 8( a) to 8(c) has holes arranged at a given interval inthe longitudinal direction to make a first line 8A and holes arranged atpositions opposite to those of the first line 8A to make a second line8B. Unlike the through-holes of the hair holder shown in FIG. 1, each ofthe holes of the present embodiment is a single eyelet. The tailing endof the curling thread 6 is designed not to be unthreaded through thehole 7 which is in the first line 8A and the nearest to the lower end ofthe hair holder 2 (this hole will be called the lowest hole in the firstline). Specifically, the tailing end of the curling thread 6 is fixed tothe hair holder 2 near the lowest hole in the first line so as not to bepulled out.

The other end of the curling thread 6 threaded through the lowest holein the first line is then threaded through the hole which is in thesecond line 8B and opposite to the lowest hole of the first line. Theend coming out of that hole goes round the lower end of the hair holder2 and passes through the hole right above the lowest hole of the firstline 8A and then the opposite hole of the line 8B. The curling thread 6is threaded in this manner a desired number of times. Finally, the otherend of the curling thread 6 passes through the hole 7 of the second line8B.

Hairdressing using the hairdressing tool 1 with the hair holder 2according to the present embodiment is carried out as follows. A strandof hair is inserted in the hair holder 2 with the hair inserter. Thefree end of the curling thread 6 is pulled either before or after a hairtreating agent is applied. Whereupon, the hair holder 2 having the hair(not shown) therein is rolled up in the pulling direction of the curlingthread 6, i.e., from its lower end toward the hair inlet 4. The root ofthe curling thread 6 emerging from the hair holder 2 is fixed with aclip (not shown) to keep the rolled state.

According to the present embodiment, hair can be rolled up into the sameshape as with a curling rod. Thus, rolling hair onto a curling rod,which is usually done in a beauty parlor, is unnecessary. While theembodiment shown in FIGS. 8( a) to 8(c) uses a single curling thread 6,two curling threads may be used to facilitate and secure the rollingoperation. In that case, each curling thread is threaded in the samemanner as described above through holes arranged on both longer sides ofthe hair holder 2 when the hair holder 2 is viewed from the front.

The hair holder 2 shown in FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b) has the curling thread 6threaded therethrough to work a line of running stitches in thelongitudinal direction of the hair holder 2. In detail, when the hairholder 2 is seen from the front, the curling thread 6 passes through thehair holder 2 from front to back and from back to front alternately. Thetailing end of the curling thread 6 is designed not to be unthreadedthrough the hole 7 provided near the lower end of the hair holder 2.Specifically, the end of the curling thread 6 is fixed to the hairholder 2 near the lower end of the hair holder 2 so as not to be pulledout. The leading end of the curling thread 6 emerges from the nearesthole 7 to the hair inlet 4 remains free. The pulling member (not shown)of the hair inserter is inserted straight into the hair holder 2.

Hairdressing using the hairdressing tool having the hair holder 2according to the present embodiment is carried out as follows. Onpulling the free end of the curling thread 6 threaded through the hairholder 2, the hair holder 2 is accordion-folded together with hair (notshown) contained therein, and the hair is bent in a zig zag form. Theroot of the curling thread 6 coming out of the hair holder 2 is fixedwith a clip (not shown) to keep the bent form.

Where the pulling member of the hair inserter 3 winds through the insideof the hair holder 2 in and out among the stitches of the curling thread6 as shown in FIG. 9( c), pulling the free end of the curling thread 6rolls up the hair holder 2 not in an accordion but helical form.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b), when the hair holder2 is in a flattened state, the curling thread 6 is disposed to depict azig zag trace along the longitudinal direction of the hair holder 2 asshown in FIG. 10( a). The zig zag trace is alternately composed of firsttraces 6A sloping upward from right to left and second traces 6B slopingupward from left to right. The parts of the curling thread 6 depictingthe first traces 6A are disposed on the outer surface on the front sideof the flattened hair holder 2, while the parts depicting the secondtraces 6B are on the outer surface on the back side of the flattenedhair holder 2. Both ends of the individual first traces 6A pierce thehair holder 2 and emerge from the back side of the hair holder 2 andconnect to the ends of the second traces 6B. On the other hand, bothends of the individual second traces 6B pierce the hair holder 2 andemerge from the front side of the hair holder 2 and connect to the endsof the first traces 6A. With the hair holder 2 in this flattened statebeing inflated into a cylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 10( b),the curling thread 6 is as if it is helically wound around the hairholder 2, except that the curling thread 6 passes inside the hair holder2 when it pierces the hair holder 2.

The hair holder 2 according to the present embodiment is used asfollows. A hair inserter (not shown) is previously inserted inside thehelix of the curling thread 6. A strand of hair H is inserted accordingto the above-mentioned procedure and thereby passed through the insideof the helix of the curling thread 6 as shown in FIG. 10( b). On pullingthe curling thread 6, the hair is rolled up into a polygonal shape,e.g., a triangle or a hexagon, when viewed with the pulling direction asan axis. What polygonal shape the hair is rolled in depends on the slopeand the length of the first traces 6A and the second traces 6B aroundthe hair holder 2.

In the hair holder 2 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11( a) and 11(b),the way of threading the curling thread 6 is the same as in FIGS. 10( a)and 10(b). The difference between the two embodiments is that, while thecurling thread 6 of FIGS. 10( a) and 10(b) is threaded symmetricallyabout the longitudinal centerline of the hair holder 2, the horizontalposition of the curling thread 6 of FIGS. 11( a) and 11(b) is shifted tothe right of the longitudinal centerline of the hair holder 2. The hairholder 2 in that flattened state being inflated into a cylindrical shapeas shown in FIG. 11( b), the curling thread 6 comes to be woundhelically on the outer surface of the longitudinal half of the hairholder 2, except that the curling thread 6 passed inside the hair holder2 when it pierces the hair holder 2.

The hair holder 2 of this embodiment is used as follows. A hair inserter(not shown) is passed through the part of the hair holder 2 where thecurling thread 6 is not threaded, that is, the longitudinal half on theleft of the longitudinal centerline of the hair holder 2. Then, a strandof hair is inserted in the same manner as described previously andpassed by the helix formed of the curling thread 6 as shown in FIG. 11(b). On pulling the curling thread 6, the hair is rolled up into a ringwhen seen with the thread pulling direction as an axis. The hair can berolled into a polygonal shape, such as a triangle or a hexagon, whichdepends on the slope of the first traces 6A and the second traces 6Bshown in FIG. 11( a). Use of the hair holder according to the presentembodiment presents an advantage that hair gets set just like as with acurling rod.

In the present embodiment, the part of the hair holder 2 where thecurling thread 6 is threaded, i.e., the part on the right hand side ofthe longitudinal centerline can be made harder than the rest of the hairholder 2 where the curling thread is absence, i.e., the part on the lefthand side, whereby the rolling operation can be done more smoothly. Forthe same purpose, the part of the hair holder 2 where the curling thread6 is absence, i.e., the part on the left of the longitudinal centerlineof the hair holder 2 can be made of an extensible material.

Seen in the flattened state, the hair holder 2 shown in FIGS. 12( a) and12(b) has the curling thread 6 provided to depict a zig zag trace alongthe longitudinal direction of the hair holder 2. The zig zag trace isalternately composed of first traces 6A′ sloping upward from right toleft and second traces 6B′ sloping upward from left to right. The partsof the curling thread 6 depicting the first traces 6A′ are disposed onthe back side of the flattened hair holder 2, while the parts depictingthe second traces 6B′ are on the front side.

The lower end of the individual first traces 6A′ pierces the hair holder2 and emerges from the front side and connects to the upper end of therespective second traces 6B′. The upper end of the individual firsttraces 6A′ connects to the lower end of the respective second traces 6B′at a position slightly apart from one longer side of the hair holder 2.On the other hand, the upper end of the individual second traces 6B′pierces the hair holder 2 and emerges from the back side and connects tothe lower end of the respective first traces 6A′. The lower ends of theindividual second traces 6B′ connects to the upper end of the respectivefirst traces 6A′ at a position slightly apart from the longer side ofthe hair holder 2.

With the hair holder 2 in the flattened state being inflated into acylindrical shape as illustrated in FIG. 12( b), the curling thread 6comes to be wound around the hair holder 2 substantially helically,except that the curling thread 6 passes inside the hair holder 2 when itpierces the hair holder 2; The hair holder 2 according to the presentembodiment is used as follows. A hair inserter (not shown) is previouslyinserted inside the helix of the curling thread 6. A strand of hair isinserted according to the above-mentioned procedure and thereby passedthrough the inside of the helix of the curling thread 6 as shown in FIG.12( b). On pulling the curling thread 6, the hair is rolled up into thesame shape as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8( c). Use of the hairholder according to the present embodiment presents an advantage thathair gets set just like as with a curling rod.

The hair holder 2 shown in FIGS. 13( a) through 13(c) is composed of twosheets, a first sheet 13A and a second sheet 113B, both strip-shaped,which are superposed on each other and joined along both longer sides tomake a tube. The two sheets are equal in shape and size. One of thesheets, the first sheet 13A, has heat shrinkability whereas the othersheet, the second sheet 13B, does not. Hairdressing with thehairdressing tool comprising the hair holder according to thisembodiment is performed as follows. A strand of hair is inserted intothe hair holder 2 by means of a hair inserter, and heat is applied tothe hair holder 2 as illustrated in FIG. 13( b) either before or after ahair treating agent is applied. Heat application is convenientlyachieved with, for example, a hair drier. On heat application, the firstsheet 13A of the two sheets composing the hair holder 2 shrinks, whereasthe other sheet, the second sheet 13B, does not. As a result of thedifference in shrinkage, the hair holder 2 rolls up together with thehair contained therein with the side of the first sheet 13A inward asshown in FIG. 13( c). This rolled state is retained even after heatapplication to the hair holder 2 is stopped. Thus, the hair holderaccording to the present embodiment is advantageous in that means forkeeping the curled state is unnecessary unlike the hair holders of theaforementioned embodiments. Although the tubular hair holder 2 of thepresent embodiment is made up of two strip-shaped sheets, it is possibleto make the tubular hair holder by joining three or more strip-shapedsheets at their longer sides. In this case, at least one of the sheetsis shrinkable with the other(s) being non-heat shrinkable. The heatshrinkable sheet serves as a curling member of the hair holder.

The hair holder 2 shown in FIG. 14 is made of a rectangular sheet shapedinto a tube longer than is wide, rolled up, and set in the rolled stateby prescribed means. When the hair holder 2 is unrolled in thelongitudinal direction and then let free, it spontaneously rolls torestore its rolled state. In order to set the hair holder into a rollshape, it is convenient to use an elastically deformable material cut toshape and size. The elastically deformable material includespolyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, andpolyacrylonitrile. The hair holder 2 made of such an elasticallydeformable material can be set into a roll by rolling up the hair holder2, fixing the rolled state by certain means, and heating the roll of thehair holder 2 to a prescribed temperature. Hairdressing using thehairdressing tool having the hair holder 2 of the present embodiment iscarried out as follows. After a strand of hair is inserted in the hairholder 2 with a hair inserter, the hair holder in an unrolled state islet free, whereby it rolls up spontaneously. Therefore, the hair holderof the present embodiment needs no rolling operation. The hair holder ofthe present embodiment has another advantage that means for maintainingthe rolled state is unnecessary similarly to the hair holder shown inFIGS. 13( a) to 13(c). The shape in which the hair holder 2 is curled isnot limited to a roll as in the above-mentioned particular example andincludes various shapes, such as an accordion-folded shape, a zig zagshape, and a helical shape, according to the purpose.

The hair holders of the hairdressing tool 1 according to the embodimentsshown in FIGS. 15 and 16 are not tubular unlike those describedhereinbefore. In detail, the hairdressing tool 1 shown in FIG. 15comprises a strip-shaped sheet 16 as a hair holder 2 and a curlingthread 6 as a curling member combined with the hair holder 2. Thestrip-shaped sheet 16 has openings 17 each serving as a hair inlet 4 onthe longitudinal centerline thereof at a given interval. The peripheryof each opening 17 is made harder than the other part of the hair holder2 by adhering a plastic sheet or paperboard thereto. Where the hairholder 2 is formed of thermoplastic resin-made nonwoven fabric, theedges of the opening 17 can be heat melted followed by solidification tobecome harder. The strip-shaped sheet 16 has a line of holes 7A alongone longer side thereof at a given interval (hereinafter referred to asa first line 8A) and a line of holes 7B along the other long sidethereof at a given interval (hereinafter referred to as a second line8B). The longitudinal position of each of the holes 7B of the secondline 8A is between the holes 7A of the first line 8A. Specifically, eachhole 7B is positioned at the middle between two adjacent holes 7A. Thetailing end of the curling thread 6 is fixed at the position of the hole7A, of the first line 8A, nearest to the lower end of the hair holder 2.Starting from that hole 7A, the other end, i.e., the leading end threadsits way alternately through the holes 7B of the second line 8B and theholes 7A of the first line 8A in that order. It finally passes throughthe hole 7B of the second line 8B. Thus, the curling thread 6alternately appears on the front and back surfaces of the strip-shapedsheet 16, depicting a triangular wave form extending in the longitudinaldirection of the hair holder 2.

The hair inserter 3 of the hairdressing tool 1 is attached to thestrip-shaped sheet 16 with its pulling member 9 piercing thestrip-shaped sheet 16 as if to make running stitches. Specifically, thepulling member 9 of the hair inserter 3 is threaded through the openings17, appearing alternately on the front and back surfaces of thestrip-shaped sheet 16.

Hairdressing using the hairdressing tool 1 according to this embodimentis carried out as follows. A strand of hair is caught on the haircatching member 10 of the hair inserter 3. As the pulling member 9 ispulled, the hair is successively threaded through the openings 17 so asto emerge alternately on the front and back surfaces of the strip-shapedsheet 16. In this state, the free end of the curling thread 6 attachedto the hair holder 2 is pulled. It follows that the hair holder 2 isrolled up together with the hair in a helical or accordion form. Theroot of the curling thread 6 emerging from the hair holder 2 is fixedwith a clip (not shown) to maintain the rolled state.

The hair holder 2 of the hairdressing tool 1 shown in FIG. 16 iscomposed of a first sheet 18A and a second sheet 18B, both of which arenarrow strips. The sheets 18A and 18B are bonded together at a givenlongitudinal interval to alternately make joints 19 and rings 20. Therings 20 serve as hair inlets 4. Each joint 19 has a hole 7 forinsertion. The rings 20 are made harder than the other part of the hairholder 2 by adhering a sheet of plastic or paperboard. The hair holder 2also has a curling thread 6 as a curling member. The curling thread 6 issuccessively threaded through the holes 7 so as to appear alternately onthe side of the first sheet 18A and the side of the second sheet 18B.The tailing end of the curling thread 6 is fixed at the hole 7positioned at the lower end of the hair holder 2. The other end of thecurling thread 6 emerging from the hole 2 positioned at the upper end ofthe hair holder 2 remains free.

The hair inserter 3 of the hairdressing tool 1 has its pulling member 9successively threaded through the rings 20 as if to make runningstitches.

In carrying out hairdressing with the hairdressing tool 1 according tothe present embodiment, a strand of hair is caught on the hair catchingmember 10 of the hair inserter 3 and threaded through the rings 20 as ifto work running stitches by pulling the pulling member 9. In this state,the free end of the curling thread 6 attached to the hair holder 2 ispulled. As a result, the hair holder 2 is accordion-folded together withthe hair, and the hair is thus bent zig-zag or helically. The root ofthe curling thread 6 emerging from the hair holder 2 is fixed with aclip (not shown) to maintain the bent state.

The hair holder 2 according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17( a) and17(b) has means for maintaining its rolled state. For the sake ofsimplicity, illustration of the hair inserter and the curling member isomitted from FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b). The hair holder 2 has a first side(front side) and a second side (back side) opposite to the first side. Ajoining member is provided on the front side. When the hair holder 2 isrolled, curved or bent into a prescribed shape with its back side incontact with the front side, the joining member joins the front side andthe back side thereby to maintain the prescribed shape of the hairholder 2. Specifically, with the hair holder 2 seen from the front, anengaging member 14 is provided on the front side along the longitudinalcenterline, and an engageable member 15 is provided on the back side ata position directly opposite to the engaging member 14. The engagingmember 14 and the engageable member 15 both extend in the longitudinaldirection of the hair holder 2. The engaging member 14 and theengageable member 15 are typically exemplified by hooks and loops tomake a surface fastening system. When the hair holder 2 is rolled upwith its front side inward, the engaging member 14 functions as ajoining member capable of joining the back side to the front sidethereby to maintain the shape of the roll. In detail, after a strand ofhair is inserted into the hair holder 2 with a hair inserter (notshown), the hair holder 2 is rolled from its lower end toward the hairinlet by means of a curling member (not shown). Whereupon the engagingmember 14 provided on the front side and the engageable member 15provided on the back side are brought into contact and engaged to eachother as shown in FIG. 17( b). That is, the front and back sides of thehair holder 2 are joined together. As a result, the hair holder 2 ismaintained in its rolled state.

In a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b), theengaging member 14 and the engageable member 15 can be replaced withself-adhesive tapes (e.g., Fushigi Tape (trade name) of Nirei IndustryCo., Ltd.). In another modification, a double sided adhesive tape can beadhered to the front side of the hair holder 2 in the longitudinaldirection. In other words, this modification corresponds to theembodiment of FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b) in which the engaging member 14 isreplaced with a double sided adhesive tape, and the engageable member 15is not provided. The double sided tape functions as a joining member forjoining the front side and the back side of the hair holder 2. Accordingto this modified embodiment, a material for joining can be saved by theamount of the engageable member 15 compared with the hair holder 2 ofembodiment shown in FIGS. 17( a) and 17(b). While the hair holder 2 isrolled up in the example presented here, the same effects are obtainedwhere the hair holder 2 is curved or bent into a desired shape. Whilethe joining in the above-described embodiment was between the front sideand the back side of the hair holder, the front side may be joined toitself to make a desired shape.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the hair holder according to thepresent invention preferably includes slender tube types and typeshaving a plurality of openings arranged at longitudinal intervals. Withthese hair holders a strand of hair can be taken and held securely,curled without suffering from directional disturbance, and maintained ina neatly curled form in a stable manner.

In some applications of the hairdressing tools according to theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 17, the curling member is notrequired. Permanent straightening of hair is one of such applications. Ahairdressing tool 1 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 buthaving no curling member includes:-

a hairdressing tool which comprises a slender hair holder having a hairinlet at one end thereof and comprising a flexible material and a hairinserter having a hair catching member at the tip thereof and which isused with the hair inserter being held in the hair holder such that thehair catching member is disposed by the side of the hair inlet of thehair holder, wherein the hair inlet and the vicinity thereof are morerigid than the other part of the hair holder; and

a hairdressing tool which comprises a slender hair holder having a hairinlet at one end thereof and a hair inserter having a hair catchingmember at the tip thereof and which is used with the hair inserter beingheld in the hair holder such that the hair catching member is disposedby the side of the hair inlet of the hair holder, wherein the haircatching member is a deformable loop of which the circumference islarger than that of the hair inlet.

A hairdressing tool 1 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 6but having no curling member includes:-

a hairdressing tool which comprises a slender hair holder having a hairinlet at one end thereof and a hair inserter having a long and narrowpulling member and a hair catching member attached to the tip of thepulling member and which is used with the hair inserter being held inthe hair holder such that the hair catching member is disposed by theside of the hair inlet of the hair holder and that the pulling memberpasses through the hair inlet,

wherein the hairdressing tool further comprises an auxiliary insertingmember having an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway connecting the inletand the outlet in the longitudinal direction thereof and narrowing fromthe inlet toward the outlet,

the pulling member of the hair inserter passes through the passageway ofthe auxiliary inserting member from the inlet to outlet thereof and thenthrough the hair inlet of the hair holder.

A hairdressing tool 1 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 17but having no curling member includes:-

a hairdressing tool which comprises a slender hair holder having a hairinlet at one end thereof and comprising a flexible material and a hairinserter having a hair catching member attached to the tip thereof andwhich is used with the hair inserter being held in the hair holder suchthat the hair catching member is disposed by the side of the hair inletof the hair holder,

wherein the hair holder has a first side and a second side opposite tothe first side and is provided on the first side with a joining membercapable of joining the first side to the second side or to itself whenthe hair holder is rolled up, curved or bent into a prescribed shape tobring the first side and the second side into contact therebymaintaining the prescribed shape.

Hairdressing methods using these hairdressing tools with no curlingmember include a method comprising catching a desired amount of hair onthe hair catching member, pulling the hair inserter in the direction offrom the hair inlet, which is one end of the hair holder, toward theother end, and feeding a hair treating agent into the hair holder fromthe hair inlet or applying a hair treating agent to the hair holder.

FIGS. 18 through 22 schematically show other embodiments of a hairholder. In these drawings, a hair inserter and a curling member are notillustrated for the sake of simplicity. The hair holder 200 shown inFIG. 18 comprises a tube 212 made of a sheet 223 and is configured tohave a strand of hair inserted therein from an opening 221 at one endtoward an opening 222 at the other end. The tube 212 has substantiallyno extensibility in the longitudinal direction. The sheet 223 formingthe whole circumference of the tube 212 has a Taber stiffness of 0.4mN·m or less over the total length of the tube 212.

The tube 212 of the hair holder 200 is a flat tube having two walls. Thecross-section of each wall is a straight line. For the sake ofconvenience, the tube 212 depicted in FIG. 18 is in a state widened tobecome a flat cylinder whose openings have the shape of a convex lenscomposed of two arched sides. Each of the two sides has a Taberstiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less, preferably 0.3 mN·m or less. If the sheet223 has a Taber stiffness exceeding 0.4 mN·m, the tube 212 having astrand of hair inserted therein cannot be rolled smoothly, failing tocurl the hair beautifully. The Taber stiffness is measured in accordancewith the stiffness testing method specified in JIS P8125.

As stated, the tube 212 of the hair holder 200 has substantially noextensibility in the longitudinal direction (the vertical direction inFIG. 18). If the tube 212 exhibits extensibility in the longitudinaldirection, the holder changes in dimension easily. It tends to followthat the tips of the hair are bent backward or irregularly curved whileor after a strand of hair is inserted through the tube 212. Theexpression “substantially no extensibility in the longitudinaldirection” means that the tube exhibits no extensibility in thelongitudinal direction but may have an extension within a range ofelastic deformation to such a degree as not to cause hair to bendbackward.

The tube 212 of the hair holder 200 is formed by folding a rectangularsheet 223 in half along its length and joining the longer sides 224 and224 together. The size of the tube 212 is optional, depending on thelength or location of hair to be curled and the amount of hair to beinserted.

Various flexible materials can be used as the sheet 223 which forms thetube 212 and has a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less. Useful flexiblematerials include nonwoven fabrics (e.g., polyethylene nonwoven fabricand polyethylene terephthalate nonwoven fabric), woven fabrics, porousor non-porous resin films (e.g., polyethylene film and polyethyleneterephthalate film), paper, polymer sheets, rubber sheets, resin meshes,and composites of these materials. In this particular embodiment, anonwoven fabric having a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less andexhibiting permeability to a hair treating agent for permanent waving isused. The thickness of the sheet 223 is not particularly limited as longas the Taber stiffness is 0.4 mN·m or less, but is preferably 5 μm to500 μm. It is preferred that the sheet be uniform in Taber stiffness andthickness over the entire area thereof.

FIG. 19 shows the results of evaluation on tubes formed of flexiblematerials (1) to (5) having different Taber stiffness values. All thetubes evaluated have the same configuration as the tube of theabove-mentioned hair holder 200. The tubes formed of (1) polyethylene(PE) nonwoven fabric, (2) low-density polyethylene (LPDE) film, and (3)polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, all of which have a Taberstiffness of 0.4 mN/m or less, were proved capable of rolling a strandof hair into a neat circle. By contrast, the tubes formed of (4) PETnonwoven fabric and (5) copying paper, both having a Taber stiffnessmore than 0.4 mN/m, failed to roll a strand of hair into a circle.Additionally, a tube formed of a latex glove, double stockings or a meshbag for fruit were also evaluated to give the same results as with thetubes formed of the flexible materials (1) to (3).

Where the hair holder 200 of the present embodiment is used to roll astrand of hair, since the sheet 223 forming the tube 212 has a limitedTaber stiffness, the tube 212 having a strand of hair inserted thereincan be rolled up smoothly without being distorted. Having substantiallyno extensibility, the tube 212 does not extend while or after a strandof hair is inserted, hardly causing the hair to bend backward or thehair tips to get an irregular set. Thus, the hair holder 200 accordingto the present embodiment is capable of curling hair easily, surely, andneatly.

The tube 212 of the hair holder 200 shown in FIG. 20 is formed of tworectangular sheets 223A and 223B joined together along the longer sides224 and 224. The sheet 223A, one of the two sheets, has a Taberstiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less. As long as the Taber stiffness of thesheet 223A, one of the sheets, is not more than 0.4 mN·m, that of thesheet 223B, the other sheet, may be either equal to or less than 0.4mN·m or more than 0.4 mN·m. When the Taber stiffness of the sheet 223Bexceeds 0.4 mN·m, a preferred upper limit is 20 mN·m. The sheet 223Bused in the present embodiment has a Taber stiffness of 2 to 5 mN·m.

Similarly to the hair holder of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, thehair holder 200 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 20 is capable of curlinghair easily, surely, and neatly. When the hair holder 200 of the presentembodiment is used to curl a strand of hair, it is preferably rolledwith the sheet 223A of low Taber stiffness inward. In using a tube whichis formed of extensible sheets but shows no extensibility as a whole,the tube can be rolled with either side inward.

In the hair holder 200 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 21, thetube 212 is formed by folding an extensible rectangular sheet 223 inhalf along its length and joining the longer sides 224 and 224 together.The joint along the longer side 224 exhibits no extensibility. The sheet223 has a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less over the whole length. Thesheet 223 has a mesh structure of lattice pattern, which createsextensibility. Although the lattice mesh of the sheet 223 is oblique tothe longitudinal direction of the tube 212, the tube 212 as a whole hassubstantially no extensibility because the side 224 lacks extensibilityas stated. In the hair holder 200 of the present embodiment, the tube212 exhibits extensibility in the width direction (horizontal directionin FIG. 21). With the extensibility of the tube 212 in the widthdirection, the opening 221 expands easily when a strand of hair is puttherethrough, thereby facilitating insertion of the hair. Similarly tothe hair holder of the embodiment shown in FIG. 18, the hair holder 200according to the present embodiment is capable of curling hair easily,surely, and neatly.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 22, the tube 212 of the hairholder 200 is fabricated of a rectangular sheet 223A having a meshstructure of lattice pattern and a rectangular sheet 223B with neithermesh nor holes, the two sheets 223A and 223B being bonded together atboth the longer sides 224 and 224. The sheet 223A has longitudinalextensibility whereas the sheet 223B has substantially no longitudinalextensibility. Therefore, the tube 212 as a whole has substantially noextensibility. The sheet 223A has a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or lessover the whole length, while the sheet 223B has a Taber stiffness ofmore than 0.4 mN·m over the whole length. According to this embodiment,the tube 212 of the hair holder 200 can be rolled up smoothly, withwhichever of the sheets 223A and 223B inside, to curl hair easily,surely, and neatly.

Alterations, such as those described below, can be added to the hairholders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 through 22. In the case ofa flat tube, as long as a sheet whose Taber stiffness is 0.4 mN·m orless forms at least the part of the tube corresponding to half thecircumference of the tube's cross-section, that sheet may be disposedover an area including one side and the other side of the flat tube. Aflat tubular shape may be composed of two arched sides. As long as atube has substantially no extensibility as a whole, part of the sheet(s)forming the tube may have extensibility. In the embodiment shown in FIG.21, while the tube 212 is formed by folding an extensible sheet into twoand joining the longitudinal sides together, the tube may be formed byjoining two extensible sheets along their longer sides.

The tubes used in the hair holders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18to 22 are not limited in method of fabrication. For instance, edges of asheet or sheets are joined by sewing or fusion bonding or with anadhesive, or the tubes may be those obtained as an integral body byextrusion or like techniques. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 and20, nonwoven fabric permeable to a hair treating agent for a permanentwave is used as a sheet to fabricate the tube, but the present inventionembraces embodiments in which a liquid impermeable sheet is used tofabricate a tube. The other opening of the tube can be made closable byproviding a zipper along that opening. A plastically deformable membermay be attached to the tube-forming sheet along the longitudinaldirection. When a strand of hair is rolled in a hair holder with such astructure, the recovering force of the hair can be restrained. While thetubes of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 to 22 are open at both endsthereof, they may be designed to have one end left open and the otherend closable with some means. It is possible to appropriately alter orcombine different parts of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 to 22.

The sheet fabricating the tubes of the hair holders according to theembodiments shown in FIGS. 18 through 22 may have any shape and anysurface condition as far as it is capable of forming tubes of theabove-described configurations. The sheet making a flat shape may have atextured surface. The tube of the hair holder according to the presentinvention may have a trumpet shape as illustrated in FIG. 23, in whichcase ease of inserting hair is improved.

The hair holders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 through 22 do notalways need to be combined with a curling member. Where the hair holderis used without a curling member, the hair holder having a strand ofhair inserted therein is rolled up by hand. Curling hair by a permanentwave, for instance, will be described by referring to FIG. 24. To beginwith, a hair holder 200 having a tube 212 with suitable Taber stiffness,length, and width is chosen according to the volume of a strand of hairH to be curled and a desired shape of the curl. As shown in FIG. 24( a),the opening 221 at one end of the tube 212 is widened into an ellipticshape, and the hair H is put in the opening 221. As shown in FIG. 24(b), the hair H is inserted through the tube 212 until the tip slightlysticks out of the opening 222 at the other end of the tube 212. Afterthe hair is inserted in the tube 212, the hair holder 200 is rolled fromthe other end opening 222 of the tube with a desired starting diameteras depicted in FIGS. 24( c) and 24(d), and the hair H is kept in therolled state by means of a well-known fixing member, such as a clip (notshown). Thereafter a hair treating agent for permanent waving is appliedto the hair from the outside of the tube 212. After an elapse of a giventime, the hair H is released from the tube 212 and subjected topost-treatment such as a shampoo to complete permanent waving. Ifnecessary, the opening 221 of the tube 212 is widened into a circularshape when the strand of hair H is inserted therethrough, which will bemore helpful to insert the hair H smoothly. The strand of hair H doesnot always need to be inserted until the tip sticks out of the other endopening 222 of the tube 212.

In using the hair holders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18 through22 without a curling member, they can be rolled to roll the hair incombination with a curling rod as has conventionally been used. Wherethe hair holders 200 whose tubes 212 are formed of a liquid impermeablesheet(s) are used for permanent waving, a hair treating agent forpermanent waving is injected into the tube from its opening 221. Thehair holders having no curling member are applicable to not only haircurling by a permanent wave treatment but other hair curling methods,such as blowing hot air from a hair drier to the inserted and rolledstrand of hair, keeping a strand of dry hair in a rolled state, orkeeping a strand of wet hair in a rolled state and letting the hair todry spontaneously. The hair holders are useful not only for curling thetip of hair but for setting hair into a wavy form or a helical form.

The hairdressing tools according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 25through 33 each comprise a slender tubular hair holder having a hairinlet at one end thereof and a longitudinally extending space for hairinsertion, the space being so designed that a strand of hair windstherethrough. Unlike the hairdressing tools of the embodiments describedabove, these hairdressing tools are capable of curling hair withoutusing a curling member.

The hairdressing tool 100 shown in FIG. 25 comprises a slender hairholder 400 capable of holding hair and a hair inserter 300. The hairholder 400 is a slender tube formed by fabricating a flexible sheet intoa flat bag-like shape. A strand of hair is inserted and held in the hairholder 400. The hair holder 400 has two ends open. The upper end servesas a hair inlet 404. The length of the hair holder 400 is decidedappropriately according to the length of hair to be treated and ispreferably greater than the length of hair to be treated. The length ofthe hair holder 400 is usually in a range of about 50 to 600 mm. Thewidth is usually from about 10 to 150 mm.

The hair holder 400 is composed of two strip-shaped sheets 421 and 422.The sheets 421 and 422 are of the same shape, and their both sides arejoined together by prescribed means to make side joints 423 and 423. Thesheets 421 and 422 are also joined discretely along their longitudinalcenterlines, forming a number of center joints 424 in spots spaced atgiven intervals. The distance between adjacent center joints 424 isadjusted appropriately depending on to what extent hair is to be waved.That distance is usually about 10 to 100 mm. These joints 423 and 424form a space inside the hair holder 400. As described later, the spaceis such that hair may wind it way in the flat hair holder 400.

Various flexible materials are used to make the hair holder 400.Examples include nonwoven fabric, porous or nonporous resin films,paper, resin meshes, and composites thereof, from which an appropriateone is selected according to the particular use of the hair holder 400.For instance, in case where a hair treating agent is to be applied tothe hair inserted in the hair holder 400 through the wall of the hairholder 400, a material permeable to the hair treating agent is chosen.

The hair inserter 300 is used in a state inserted in the hair holder400, more specifically with its hair catching member 310 being disposedby the side of the hair inlet 404 of the hair holder 400 as shown inFIG. 25( a). The pulling member 309 of the hair inserter 300 passesthrough the space in the hair holder 400 with its tailing end stickingout of the lower end of the hair holder 400. As illustrated in FIG. 25(a), the pulling member 309 passes across between adjacent center joints424. As a result, the pulling member 309 depicts a two-dimensionalwinding or wavy line in the flat hair holder 400.

Usage of the hairdressing tool 100 according to the present embodimentwill be explained by referring to FIGS. 26( a) and 26(b). The hairinserter 300 is set to stick the hair catching member 310 out of thehair inlet 104. A desired amount of hair H is caught on the haircatching member 310, and the pulling member 309 of the hair inserter 300is pulled by the tail extending from the lower end of the hair holder400. The hair H caught on the hair catching member 310 is thus insertedinto the hair holder 400 together with the hair catching member 310.Since the pulling member 309 winds its way flat in the hair holder 400as shown in FIG. 26( a), the hair H, as dragged into the hair holder 400by the hair catching member 310, snakes down in the flat hair holder 400as shown in FIG. 26( b). The hair catching member 300 is drawn out ofthe hair holder 400 from the lower end opening.

Because the hair H inserted in the hair holder 400 is maintained therein a winding form, leaving the hair H in this state for a long timeresults in setting the hair H into a wavy shape. Where the hair holder400 is made of a material permeable to a hair treating agent such as apermanent waving preparation, such as a nonwoven fabric or a resin-mademesh, the hair treating agent can be applied from the outside of thehair holder 400 to carry out a permanent wave treatment.

In each of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 27( a) and 27(b) and theembodiment shown in FIGS. 28( a) and 28(b), the hair holder 400 isformed of two strip-shaped sheets 421 and 422, which are joined togetherto make joined portions 425 and a non-joined portion 426. The joinedportions 425 are disposed in such a configuration that the two sheets421 and 422 in the non-joined portion 426 may form a space windingacross the longitudinal centerline of the hair holder 400 over thelength of the hair holder 400. The difference between the embodiments ofFIGS. 27( a) and FIGS. 28( a) is this: the joined portions 425 cover allthe area other than the non-joined portion 426 making the space in theembodiment shown in FIG. 27( a), whereas the joined portion 425 islinear and provided on only each side of the non-joined portion 426 sothat the sheets 421 and 422 are not joined in their side areas in theembodiment shown in FIG. 28( a). In both embodiments, the degree of thespace's winding is adjusted appropriately depending on to what extentthe hair is to be waved.

The hair holder 400 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 29( a) and 29(b) isfabricated of two strip-shaped sheets 421 and 422, which are joinedalong their two longer sides to form opposing side joined portions 423and 423. Each side joined portion 423 extends inwardly to formprotruding joined portions 427. The protruding joined portions 427 arearranged at a given interval in the longitudinal direction of the hairholder 400. Each protruding joined portion 427 on one side faces themiddle between adjacent protruding joined portions 427 on the otherside. In other words, the protruding joined portions 427 on both sidesalternate in the longitudinal direction of the hair holder 400. Whilethe protruding joined portions 427 in this particular embodiment havethe shape of a round top mountain, the shape of the protruding joinedportions 427 is not limited thereto and includes, for example, atriangle and a rectangle. There is thus formed a space in the area otherthan the joined portions 423 and 427, i.e., the non-joined portion,which space winds across the longitudinal centerline in the longitudinaldirection of the hair holder 400.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 30 is a multiple hair holder 400 composedof a plurality of the hair holders according to the embodiment shown inFIG. 25( a). Illustration of the hair inserter is omitted from FIG. 30.The hair holder 400 according to this embodiment is formed bysuperposing two rectangular sheets one on another and joining them by anumber of longitudinally linear joints 423 arranged in the widthdirection of the sheets at a given interval. The distance between everyadjacent joints 423 can be the same as the width of the hair holdershown in FIG. 25( a). A number of center joints 424 are formed in spotsat a given interval along the longitudinal centerline between everyadjacent joints 423. The distance between adjacent center joints 424 canbe the same as that in the hair holder of the embodiment shown in FIG.25( a). The hair holder 400 according to this embodiment is capable ofwaving a larger amount of hair at a time than with the hair holder ofthe embodiment shown in FIG. 25( a).

The embodiment shown in FIG. 31 represents a multiple hair holder 400composed of a plurality of the hair holders according to the embodimentshown in FIG. 25( a) superposed one on another. The hair holder 400 ofthis embodiment is composed of a strip-shaped sheet 421 and a pair ofsheets 422A and 422B having the same shape as the sheet 421 which aresuperposed on the respective sides of the sheet 421. The sheets 421,422A, and 422B are joined together along their longer sides withprescribed means to form side joints 423 and 423. The sheets 421, 422A,and 422B are discretely joined together along their longitudinalcenterlines to form a number of center joints 424 in spots at a giveninterval. Similarly to the embodiment shown in FIG. 30, the hair holder400 according to the present embodiment is capable of waving a largeramount of hair at a time than with the hair holder of FIG. 25( a).

The hair holder 400 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 32 iscomposed of strip-shaped sheets 421 and 422 joined together. Each of thesheets 421 and 422 partly protrudes from its plane to form a number ofprotrusions 428, . . . , and 428 over the length. Each protrusion 428 isformed along the longitudinal centerline of the respective sheets. Theprotrusions 428 are designed in shape and/or position such that, whenthe sheets 421 and 422 are joined, the protrusions 428 of the sheet 421and those of the sheet 422 may face to each other thereby creating aspace that winds across the planes of these sheets. The protrusions 428can be formed by press forming the sheets. In the present embodiment,the space has a tubular shape winding its way at right angles with theplanes of the sheets.

The hair holder 400 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 33comprises a circular tube unlike the hair holders of the embodimentsdescribed supra. The circular tube is coiled. According to thisembodiment, hair is helically curled. The circular tube may be fixed inits helical form and inextensible. Otherwise, the coiled circular tubemay be extensible but capable of returning to the illustrated helicalform upon being released from the extended state (with no extendingforce applied). Where the coiled circular tube is extensible, hair isinserted in the circular tube in its extended state, and the tube isreleased from the extending force, whereby the tube restores its helicalshape, which improves the ease of inserting hair.

The hair holders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 25( a) through 33 maybe used in combination with prescribed means for curling in the samemanner as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 22. The means forcurling includes a method comprising rolling up the hair holder 400 byhand and fixing the rolled state with a clip or a pin and a method inwhich the hair holder is made self-adhesive. It is also possible to makeuse of the previously described curling thread or thermal shrinkage ascurling means. Inserting hair in the hair holder 400 followed by curlingmakes it possible to give hair a more complicated three-dimensionalwave. For example, a curling thread 6 can be used in, for example, theembodiment of FIG. 25( a) as illustrated in FIG. 34( a). The curlingthread 6 is attached to the hair holder 400 such that it extends in thelongitudinal direction of the hair holder 400 and pierces the hairholder as if to work running stitches. That is, the hair holder 400 seenfrom its front, the curling thread 6 emerges on the front side and theback side of the hair older 400 alternately. The curling thread 6 passesthrough each of the center joints 424. The curling thread 6 is preventedfrom being unthreaded at the position of the nearest center joint 424 tothe lower end of the hair holder 400. Specifically, the tailing end ofthe curling thread 6 is fixed to the hair holder 400 at the lowestcenter joint 424 and thereby prevented from being drawn out. The curlingthread 6 is free at its leading end emerging from the nearest centerjoint 424 to the hair inlet 404.

On pulling the free end of the curling thread 6 attached to the hairholder 400, the hair holder 400 is accordion-folded together with thehair (not shown) as shown in FIG. 34( b). As a result, the hair is bentin a zig zag form. The roof of the curling thread 6 emerging from thehair holder 400 is fixed with a clip (not shown) to maintain the bentstate. According to this embodiment, hair shaped into a winding form ina plane (i.e., two-dimensionally) is further bent in a zig zag form tocreate a complicated three-dimensional curl.

The means for rolling is applicable to the embodiments shown in FIGS.27( a) through 32 as well as the embodiment of FIG. 25( a). While thehair holders of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 25( a) to 32 are composedof a plurality of sheets, they can be formed of a single sheet ifdesired.

In the various embodiments described above with reference to FIGS. 1through 34, while a curling member is used to roll up a strand of hair,a curling rod may be used in combination as has been usual.

The hairdressing tool according to the present invention can have astrand of hair taken inside its tube with ease and in a short time. Thehairdressing tool of the present invention makes it possible to curlhair easily and rapidly. With the hairdressing tool of the presentinvention, hair can easily be curled or permanent waved. With thehairdressing tool of the present invention, hair can be curled easily,surely, and neatly.

According to the hairdressing method of the present invention,hairdressing treatments such as permanent waving and coloring can beachieved easily. The hairdressing method of the invention is especiallyeffective in permanent waving and partial coloring.

1. A hairdressing tool comprising: a slender, circumferentiallycontinuous tubular hair holder having a hair inlet at one end thereofand comprising a flexible material, a hair inserter for inserting hairin or through the hair holder, the hair inserter being capable of beingintroduced in the slender tubular hair holder to grasp hair and insertthe grasped hair through the hair holder, and curling means for rolling,curving or bending the hair held in the hair holder into a prescribedshape by contracting at least the length dimension of the hair holdersufficiently to roll, curve or bend the hair held in the hair holder,wherein the curling means comprises a thread being threaded through thehair holder at several points along the length of the hair holder. 2.The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair inserterhas a hair catching member and is adapted to be inserted in the hairholder with the hair catching member being disposed by the side of thehair inlet of the hair holder.
 3. The hairdressing tool according toclaim 2, wherein the hair catching member is a loop the circumference ofwhich is larger than the circumference of the hair inlet, and the haircatching member is deformable.
 4. The hairdressing tool according toclaim 2, wherein the hair catching member has comb teeth.
 5. Thehairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair inlet and thevicinity thereof are more rigid than the other part of the hair holder.6. The hairdressing tool according to claim 1 further comprising anauxiliary inserting member, wherein the auxiliary inserting member hasan inlet, an outlet, and a passageway connecting the inlet and theoutlet in the longitudinal direction thereof, the passageway having adecreasing diameter from the inlet toward the outlet, the hair inserterhas a pulling member which passes through the passageway from the inletto the outlet and then enters the hair holder through the hair inlet. 7.The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair holder hasa first side and a second side opposite to the first side, and the firstside is provided with a joining member capable of joining the first sideto the second side or to itself when the hair holder is rolled, curvedor bent into a prescribed shape and thereby capable of maintaining theprescribed shape.
 8. The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, whereinthe other end of the hair holder is adapted to be opened and closed. 9.The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair holder hasa hair treating agent applied to the inner side thereof.
 10. Thehairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein at least the part of thehair holder corresponding to half the circumference of the tube'scross-section has a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less over the wholelength of the hair holder.
 11. The hairdressing tool according to claim1, wherein the hair holder has extensibility in the width direction. 12.The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair holder is atube formed by folding a rectangular sheet in half along its length andjoining the longer sides together.
 13. The hairdressing tool accordingto claim 1, wherein the hair holder is a tube formed by joining tworectangular sheets together along their longer sides, and at least oneof the sheets has a Taber stiffness of 0.4 mN·m or less.
 14. Thehairdressing tool according to claim 1, wherein the hair holder is atube formed by folding an extensible rectangular sheet in half along itslength and joining the longer sides together to form a joint, and thejoint along the longer side has no extensibility.
 15. The hairdressingtool according to claim 1, wherein the hair holder has the hair inserterpreviously attached thereto.
 16. The hairdressing tool according toclaim 1, wherein the hair holder is permeable or impermeable to a hairtreating agent.
 17. The hairdressing tool according to claim 1, whereinthe thread pierces the hair holder in a zig-zag trace at severalpositions along the length of the hair holder.